Russia's food safety watchdog said it was looking at possible breaches of sanitary rules at McDonald's and was starting unscheduled checks in several Russian regions.

But many in Russia say the checks are driven by the deterioration in relations between Russia and the West over Ukraine.

"Obviously, it's driven by the political issues surrounding Ukraine," said Alexis Rodzianko, President and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia.
Several Western countries, including the US, have imposed economic sanctions on Russia over Ukraine.